Wrangell Sentinel -

More than half-a-million cruise ship tourists will have visited Sitka this summer — a record number — and slightly more are expected next year, Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal owner Chris McGraw told an audience at the online chamber of commerce meeting Sept. 6.

He said it looks like the end-of-summer number will total 271 cruise ship stops in Sitka, which includes vessels that pull into his terminal and others that anchor offshore and lighter their passengers to city facilities.

He estimates the year’s traffic will total 514,000 passengers at his terminal and 560,000 for Sitka overall.

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